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Countrywide Classic Champion Tommy Haas hoists the trophy after defeating Dmitry Tursunov of Russ

Click here to see a slideshow of photos from the past few days at the 2006 Countrywide Classic.

In a field full of favorites, it was an unexpected final. Tommy Haas versus Dmitry Tursunov? No Agassi? No Roddick? In the end, it didn’t matter.

In one of the better matches of the tournament, Haas defeated Tursunov 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the final round of the Countrywide Classic. It was the second victory in Los Angeles for Haas, who won here in 2004 as well.

“It’s always an awesome feeling to hold up a trophy,” Haas said. “It’s the third time this year. I’m really pleased to have (done it).”

Haas also won this year at Memphis and Delray Beach.

The German went down in the first set of Sunday’s victory to the hard-serving Tursunov, and it appeared it would be all Tursunov in the final. Despite the five years he has on the 23-year old Tursunov, it looked as if the eighth-seeded Tursunov was the cagey veteran. Haas, the No. 6 seed, had three double faults in the first set, two in the decisive third game when Tursunov broke Haas’ serve.

But Haas was able to master himself late in the second set after letting out a few indecipherable shouts of rage. In the final game of the second set before tiebreakers would come into effect, Haas was able to break Tursunov’s serve and take the game.

“I felt like I was serving well to keep myself in the match,” Haas said. “I played some good tennis there in the second set. I was just trying to win a few rallies and maybe get a few more balls back to him. And then I got a lucky break.”

That set appeared to demoralize Tursunov and invigorate Haas. In Tursunov’s first service of the third set, Haas broke him and had the upper hand the rest of the way, going to break points in nearly every one of Tursunov’s service games.

“I just stood a little closer to the baseline,” Haas said. “I tried to read it earlier and put the ball back deep. I tried to be more aggressive when I (had) the chance. Put more pressure on him. I tried to push him back and he started to make a few unforced errors.”

Although the play was suitable for a final, the players were not the expected ones. The big names took disappointingly early exits. Andy Roddick was sidelined after straining his side in his match against Scott Oudsema in the second round, Lleyton Hewitt was defeated in the first round by Paul Goldstein, and Andre Agassi was eliminated by Fernando Gonzalez in the third round.

The final four was devoid of Americans, despite their good play of late. Though there were 10 Americans in the main singles draw and four in the round of eight, none advanced to Saturday.

Agassi came closest with a hard-fought match against Fernando Gonzalez but proved unable to work a last little bit of magic. In the third set of his last match against Gonzalez, Agassi was able to battle back from triple match point and appeared to be destined for victory, but in the end could not stave off Gonzalez’s powerful forehands. It was an unfitting final goodbye for the man who won this tournament just last year.

But for both Haas and Tursunov, the final matchup was anything but a disappointment. Although he would have liked to win, the final was a first for Tursunov, who has rocketed up the ATP rankings this year, going from 60th at the beginning of the year to 32nd entering the tournament.

“(I’ve been) getting lucky non-stop,” Tursunov said. “Tommy was serving great. He was cruising in his serve in the second and third set.

“I think it’s a missed opportunity, but at the same time I’m not going to quit because of it.”

Tursunov had a relatively easy route to the final, beating Danai Udomchoke and Sam Querry before receiving a walkover against Roddick. He beat Gonzalez in two sets before facing Haas.

BRYANS WIN: The fraternal duo of Mike and Bob Bryan pulled off their third doubles title in the last six years of the Countrywide Classic by defeating Eric Butorac and Jamie Murray of England 6-2, 6-4. The Bryan brothers dominated throughout the tournament, defeating every opponent in straight sets, and only going to tiebreakers once, against Chileans Gonzalez and Paul Capdeville.